Here is the second part, I hope people enjoy it.
As usual, it is dedicated to a lot of very good friends, especially Adam.
***
A Son's Duty.
A fan fiction based on Takahashi Rumiko's ongoing Manga series, Ranma 1/2
Saotome Ranma, Saotome Genma, Saotome Nodoka, Tendo Akane, Tendo Soun, Tendo Kasumi, Tendo Nabiki, Kuonji Ukyou, Hibiki Ryouga, P-chan, Shampoo, Mousse, Kunou Tatewaki, Kunou Kodachi, and Hinako Sensei are copyright 1987, 1995 by Takahashi Rumiko.
Publishing rights:
Japan: Shogakukan Inc. Tokyo
Hong Kong: Jademan (Holdings) Ltd.
North America: Viz Inc.
Chapter Two:
The school yard was suddenly quite silent.
Akane was looking at the scene; a little bit startled and with a trace of a smile starting to twitch at the corner of her mouth. What surprised Akane, and had probably silenced everyone else, was the fact that Ukyou had ended up sprawled out on the ground, stunned. Ranma, on the other hand, was flat on his face about five feet further on, having some trouble getting his breath back. She couldn't help but stare, her knowledge of their skills made the two of them hitting each other accidentally immensely funny.
What had started out as a nominally good day for Ranma was steadily getting worse. His face clearly showed that he had lost his breath. As usual, however, he was going to be ok. He usually was in these situations, and had a tendency to recover faster than most people. Of course, he had to concentrate and focus on those parts of the body that were injured, not very much of a problem given his stamina.
Actually, Ranma's stamina was a product of two different circumstances, the first being that of his study of the various martial arts and the associated medicines that allowed ones body to heal at a rate much faster than normal, and the second being that he was a trouble magnet.
The first was a distinct advantage, allowing him the chance to concentrate on healing, and on getting a task accomplished. It was one of the many secrets that he had learned while growing up. His mind was the focus of all thought and wisdom, therefore he must be willing to learn from as many different people as possible. He was sometimes stubborn about doing this, and his father occasionally went overboard in trying to train Ranma in so many disciplines, but he did get trough to his sometimes wayward son.
So as Ranma grew, he learned many schools of thought, and the most important lesson he had learned, the one that was common to every discipline that he had ever been taught, was that the mind is more important than the body. His teachers in the school would have disputed this as Ranma never seemed to pay attention in class. This, of course, was not entirely true as he concentrated on the expansion of his mind and senses, integrating his knowledge in order to act instinctively and decisively when the time came. It allowed him to experience more than most people, especially since he had been concerned with the study of Kenpo, seemingly to the exclusion of all else, for most of his life. The many training trips he had gone upon would have meant his being a failure in school long ago if he was unable to use his head.
The second reason was sometimes his worst nightmare.
Wether it was Kunou Tatewaki; who was in a way both a romantic rival, (at least to Kunou-Sempai's mind), or a potential and persistent suitor, (in the oddest sense), to people he had never heard of before, their first reaction to was usually to marry or kill him. It had become an almost constant factor in his life since he moved here. People at school enjoyed it, partially for the entertainment value, partially because interesting thing were always happening, but, somehow, Ranma kept wishing for a chance to be normal.
In the past few months alone, Ranma had been attacked several times, offered dates, threatened with marriage, and...complications...occurring from his...other half. He was still angry with his father over that particular incident, and at times hit Genma when reminded about it, but was able to act a lot calmer now than when it had first happened. Of course, he wouldn't admit it, but the reason Ranma was able to handle his situation was due to Akane.
Nobody would have believed that, however, given the way they acted in front of their family or in public.
For both of them, the relationship started out well. Ranma had just arrived at the Tendo Training Hall and was being...harassed...by Nabiki, Akane's elder sister. Ranma had been embarrassed, and Akane noticed the blush Nabiki's...handling...of the situation had caused their guest. She decided to take some pity on this new arrival to their home and took Ranma out to the Dojo proper in order for them to practice Kenpo. She wanted to test this person who was supposed to be an arranged husband for her, or one of her sisters. Ranma ended up defeating Akane, but at the time, she didn't mind. Losing to Ranma was not so bad, and they had started to become friends. Somehow, the fact that her father wanted Ranma to marry either her, or one of her sisters, was still ridiculous, but not really as bad as it sounded originally.
At least that is how it started out.
During the battle and afterwards, Akane had revealed a bit of herself that normally would never have been revealed to a male. How determined she was, the fact that she did not like boys, at least, not romantically, and that the only people that she respected were other women. Ranma's face had displayed a bit of shocked strain at the acknowledged respect Akane had shown.
A lot of it had to do with the fact that Akane had said some things that only her family and closest friends would hear. The emotions she revealed told a lot about the trust she placed in her father and in the apparently close relationship between their family's. Still, she had shown a shadow of her true self, the part that was hidden away beneath the many layers of her personality, and not one that she would normally allow to be observed by a male.
Wondering what to do about this, Ranma decided to sit down and contemplate the garden, allowing the mind to drift to different areas and touch lightly on the situations that had brought them here. Paying no attention to the surroundings, time past and no answers were found, At least not answers that made sense. A driving need surged up, and Ranma wanted nothing more than to go back to China.
This was how Kasumi found Ranma, looking at the garden, staring with a determination and seriousness that looked cute on the young face. She had prepared a hot bath for the two practitioners and insisted that their guest take a bath. With no option, Ranma headed for the bath, still wondering what to do, and not realizing Akane would be coming in soon.
Ranma's bath had changed the respect Akane had shown earlier to a type of hatred and rivalry.
During the past few months, however, their respect had once again grown for one another. The one thing wrong was that both were as stubborn as mules about everything they did. Not wanting to be the first to admit defeat, they started to hide their true feelings behind the wall of hate and contempt that they had built; Akane calling Ranma a pervert, and Ranma retaliating by calling Akane a tomboy. These times, while interesting to those around them, had created a situation that made them decide to avoid the possibility of marriage for all time.
Words both outwardly lived by, but inwardly balked at, creating situations that would be untenable in a normal persons life.
Somehow though, through all of this turmoil, Akane had grown to support Ranma, and to help him get out of most of the situations that he found himself in. It was not that he could not handle himself or could have not have defeated what was coming at him, but more that he did not have the heart to do so himself. It was this that she had come to recognize as a part of herself in him, that of the nervous, slightly scared individual who cannot bare to show it. Of course, when it came to a battle, she found him stupidly macho, full of fight and bluster, but put him in front of people where he had to reveal or display emotions, and he was a wreck.
Being with Akane made what Ranma had to go through a lot easier to bear.
At least until it came to his many other fiance's, of which Shampoo and Ukyou could be counted officially. Shampoo from a complete accident, and Ukyou by an old choice. Of course, they had different ways of going about getting close to Ranma, some of which he dreaded.
At the moment, Ukyou could have cared less about getting close to Ranma, in fact, he just lay there, his eyes closed and seemingly unwilling to get up.
Akane smiled slightly as she approached the two, pointedly not paying attention to Ranma. She noticed a strange, almost-grimace evident on Ukyou's face, something that was unusual, especially given Ukyou's tendency to be as obstinately macho as Ranma. Usually he was ok when in a fight, and could take a lot of damage. He had proven that several times in the past, and would probably prove it again, despite the fact that he did not have to. For some reason, however, this time seemed different and Akane was a bit concerned. Despite their competition for Ranma, they were friends and if Ukyou was hurt then she wanted to help.
"Want a hand Ukyou?" Akane asked.
Ukyou opened his eyes slowly as the words sank into his head. He was really bad off if he couldn't avoid getting hit by someone, especially in an accidental manner. The practice of harakei had given him the skills necessary to avoid such occurrences and only severe emotional stress could cause him to disregard the warning signals that must surely have been in the air. This was not a good sign, and that meant the news that he had received from his father had disturbed him more than he was originally willing to admit.
Sighing, Ukyou looked up at Akane, "Thanks Akane-chan, I appreciate it." So saying, he took the offered hand and allowed himself to be helped up. "I am just annoyed with myself at the moment," Shaking his head, he continued, "I should have been able to avoid getting hit like that, After all, I am supposed to be a martial artist."
Akane had to grin at that. The reputations that Ukyou, Ranma, her, and a few others in the school had gained was immensely overrated at times. Although he looked a bit unsteady at the moment, if Ukyou could joke like that, he was going to be ok. Shaking her head, Akane said, "Are you sure? For a moment it looked as if you were hurt."
Ukyou smiled slightly, "I'm sure, although this is probably going to start some new rumours around here." Turning, he started to look for his briefcase, and noticed Ranma with it. At the moment, it was open, with the magazines now on the ground, and a certain letter being held by Ranma, who looked as though he was about to open it.
While the discussion between Ukyou and Akane had been going on, Ranma managed to get air back into his lungs. Noticing that his two 'fiance's' were talking with each other, he groaned to himself. Despite the valiant try, he was going to end up with bruises; again. At least this time he would not have to go to the doctor. Standing up, and trying to bounce back quickly, (He couldn't allow anyone to notice that he was hurt.), Ranma noticed that Ukyou's briefcase had popped opened and that everything usually contained inside was now spilled over the ground.
As both women were not paying attention, he started to gather up everything and place it back in the briefcase. The spill wasn't too bad, and he was able to gather most of the papers and books, placing them back inside the briefcase. It was when he started to get the mail that he came across the letter addressed to Ukyou.
Ranma had known for some time that Ukyou received a lot of mail. Actually, he was a bit surprised at the amount of mail that his friend received every day, but usually paid no attention to it since it was related to the restaurant business. This was the first time that he knew of that Ukyou had received a personal letter. Ranma was curious, and he stared at it as if to open it up.
"Ran-chan, If you don't mind, I'll take that.", and Ukyou proceeded to grab his briefcase and the letter, then proceeded to pick up the magazines.
"Who is it from Uk-chan?", Ranma asked, curious, and trying to get a closer look at it.
Sighing, Ukyou replied, "Nothing you should be concerned about, just a letter concerning my past."
Akane was the only one who noticed the slight grimace appear briefly on Ukyou's' face once again. Realizing that Ukyou needed a friend more than a pest at the moment, she grabbed Ranma by his pig tail, took him, and tossed him some distance away. A cry of "Kawaiikune" could be heard coming from that direction as Ranma headed for parts unknown.
In the meantime, Akane was trying to get Ukyou to open up a bit.
"Want to talk about whatever's bothering you?"
"What's to talk about Akane-chan, I'm just not at my best today."
"Is that so? Then why so protective over that letter?"
Sighing again, Ukyou answered the only way he could, "Something to do with the past, and now has to do with the future. It's really nothing that should worry you."
Akane shrugged and looked up, noticing the time. She decided that she would have to try again later. The two of them, each thinking their own thoughts and hoping to get there before Hinako-Sensei, rushed towards their room. Both had forgotten that Ranma had been sent into the air, and that the direction he was travelling in was towards the pool...
Said person was climbing out of the pool, and she was not having a good time. "Gah...Why did she have to do that? JUST WHAT DID I DO TO HER TODAY!!!" She fumed a little bit, and started to wring out her clothes, "Just perfect, I didn't need this to happen to me today. Why can't I go a little while without getting wet somehow...It's as if someone really wants to complicate my life."
The young red head, who looked very cute because of the fact that she was angry, went out of the fence surrounding the pool and started back towards the school entrance. She glanced up quickly at the clock tower and noticed the time, "It figures, no time to get any hot water...Ah well, it's not as if the class doesn't already know. At least I'll be able to get some water at lu..."
At that moment, a happy yell went through the air. A yell that most people in the yard ignored, while a few just smirked. A yell that made Ranma close her eyes in utter frustration, and groan with contempt at the person who had just grabbed onto her.
"My Pig Tailed Goddess, how I have longed to see you. I am glad that you have managed to elude that sorcerer, Saotome!", Kunou Tatewaki said as he hugged the young woman, completely oblivious to the signs of almost pure hatred coming from her, "I have wanted to hold you in my arms, and to take you away from the evil that abounds here."
Ranma didn't even try to explain; she just booted him into the sky.
She grumbled and went into the school. One of these days Ranma was either going to get rid of her curse, get rid of her idiot father who was the cause of the trouble, or kill Kunou.
It was not a good day for her.
The usual school antics happened during the day. Hinako-Sensei speaking to Ranma and telling her that, when she was a girl, she should wear a proper girls uniform, Akane attempting to both ignore Ranma and to get her to pay more attention to her work, especially in English, and Kunou trying to find his "pig tailed goddess" during the lunch break.
It was also obvious to Akane during the day that Ukyou's concentration was off. Their professors had come in and out of the class and while, normally, Ukyou was an excellent and intuitive student, today he had almost no reaction to what was going on around him. Somehow, she would have to try and get Ukyou to open up about what was bothering him, after all, they were friends.
For Ukyou, the day seemed to be one long torture session. There was a very good reason for not paying attention; his thoughts were in complete turmoil. He hardly heard what any of his professors said as he tried to decide what to do. It wasn't going to be easy to stop Ran-chan coming to the restaurant, Ranma was too curious for his own good at times. Shaking his head, he suddenly realized something and started to laugh silently at himself. He had chosen this life, chosen to be considered a male in front of all Japanese society and yet he still loved Ranma. The duties he must fulfill because of his new sex and the duties that he wished to fulfill were at complete odds to one another.
Almost exactly the same situation in which Ranma usually found himself in.
"I'm going to need help with this," Ukyou thought, "But who can I go to? Ran-chan is a good friend, but father would kill him. Shampoo is out, and so is Mousse..." Trying to decide which of the many people that he knew who might have been able to help, Ukyou looked lazily around the room. As he did so, details of the past flitted through his upset mind and for some reason his eyes settled on Akane. "Why not, " Ukyou snorted, "She's the only one who might be able to help, and she has some knowledge of what I'm going to have to go through."
Since the best course of action would be to ask Akane for help, Ukyou decided to walk her home after school so that he could explain the situation.
***
"So your father is coming to the District? I would be very happy to meet him. From what you and Ranma have told me, he must be a very nice person, and I am sure that Ranma would enjoy talking with him again."
Ukyou face took on a hurt expression, "I wouldn't say that Akane, if he saw Ranma, there would be a lot of trouble. In any case, my father has his own ideas of what his 'son' should do."
Akane caught that last part, and looked at Ukyou, "What are you talking about, You're a girl."
Shaking his head, Ukyou pulled out the letter and handed it to Akane, "Not legally Akane-chan, by law, I'm a boy. This means that I have certain obligations to fulfill, not the least of which is one that you are familiar with."
"What are you talking about?"
"Just read the letter Akane"
Akane started to read. Normal stuff, things that she hoped her father would write to her when she went off to university. It was when she got near the end, that she saw what had caused her friend some worry.
***
(Begin excerpt)
Turning to business concerns about the store, Ukyou, it is a pleasant surprise that you have managed to be profitable during the past few months. Your mother and I expected to still be supporting you, even though you told us that you would have more than enough customers in Nerima District. Your books are showing a nice profit, but then, that is what I would expect of you considering the business courses that you had opted for. I guess an old man has to take a back seat once to his son once in a while.
There are some concerns I have however, such as the fact that your profit margin seems to be low. Is this a promotion of some kind to get new customers to come to the shop? I would like to know, because it seems to be a success where you are and I was thinking of implementing it here at this shop. Another thing, haven't you hired on any help? From the looks of the figures, you seem to be leaving a lot of time open. I know you have to go to school, but couldn't you find some girls to waitress and run the shop during the day?
On a more personal note, your mother and I were going to take a vacation, but she convinced me that it would be better if I come out to visit you. We do have a lot to discuss, such as your education, and I would like to spend some time with you. You are growing up fast son, and I wish to be a part of your life now and then. If you want, we could take a Sunday and go fishing, like we did when you were younger.
As to the main matters of my visit, there are some duties that you must perform now that you are old enough. Although it will be several years before your coming of age ceremony, your mother and I must insist that you carry them out. One of these duties will be for you to visit the family shrine in Kyoto. As my eldest son, you will have to make the proper offerings to our ancestors in preparation of becoming the one to inherit the business and honours of our house. The Kuonji line is old Ukyou, and our origins are tied with that ancient city. The priests and members of the temple have already asked if you were ready so you will have to travel there soon.
Other than that, there is one particular duty that will require your immediate attention, which is setting the date for your marriage. I will admit, we would not discuss this normally considering what happened in the past, but it is time that you were engaged. I have spoken to a friend of mine, and his daughter will be arriving with me in Nerima on Saturday, March 19. I am sure that you will like her. She is a pleasant young girl, and will make you a good wife.
As always son, I am proud of you.
Father.
(End excerpt)
***
Akane had stopped walking, shuddering a bit at the information that she had just absorbed. "That is some letter, I can see why you were troubled. What are you going to do about it?"
"What can I do. Family honour requires I go through with whatever is planned." Ukyou put one hand in his pocket and the with the other dejectedly lifted his briefcase to his shoulder.
Akane just looked forward, the letter forgotten in her hand and whispered to herself, "Family honour..."
Ranma had rushed home in the meantime. He did not want to stick around the school any longer that he had to. It was not that he hated the school, although he did feel that most of the courses that he was forced to take in the science stream had no relation to his future profession, but rather that whenever he stayed around something, or someone, always managed to pull him into some type of battle. After the bruises he had received earlier in the day, he was not feeling up to having a fight.
As he reached the gates to the Tendo household however, he ended up being drenched with cold water.
Ranma glared at the panda that was standing on the road outside the stonework fence. "What did you do _that_ for pop?" she shouted, "You may _like_ being a panda, but I do _not_ like being a girl!"
Wanting nothing more to do than to take a hot bath, Ranma paid no heed to the panda, who was now trying to stick a sign in front of her face, and entered into the yard. "Perfect, " she muttered to herself, "Now I need some hot water to change myself back. Sometimes I think I should skewer the old man, just on principle."
"Hello everyone, I'm home! Kasumi? Do you happen to have any hot water available?", Ranma shouted as she went through the door.
Kasumi stepped out from the kitchen, "Yes Ranko, do you want some tea?"
"No Kasumi, I need it in order to..." Ranma stopped talking as she realized _what_ Kasumi had called her and suddenly knew _why_ her father had thrown the water at her.
The person who stepped out of the kitchen behind Kasumi wore a very nice silk kimono, with an eye pleasing geometric pattern on one shoulder. She looked very much like 'Ranko', the same facial features, same delicate grace, and a confidence that fairly exuded from her. Although both denied it, anybody who looked at them would have said that they were mother and daughter.
"Hello Ranko," said the woman, "How are you today?"
Ranma could only answer, "Hello Auntie Saotome."
GLOSSARY
KENPO
Also known as Kempo.
This is an ancient art that is the basis of all the higher levels of the martial arts that are in existence today. Basically, it is a hand to hand style of fighting that has evolved over the centuries to encompass all of the teachings of arts, and has evolved into many differentiating styles. It is also the first known combat art.
The origin of the art is said to have begun long ago at the Shaolin Temple in China. While this is true in a way, it is necessary to trace the art back even further. According to recorded history, the legend of the martial arts started when Prince Bodhidharma, a warrior, and later a monk, was sent by his teacher, Prajnatara to China to reteach the principles of Buddhism and introduce the knowledge of Dhyana, or Zen Koans, to the practices of those there. Bodhidharma agreed to do this and headed north, to the various southern kingdoms.
In the year 520 BC, Bodhidharma travelled to the kingdom of Wei where he had an intense meeting with the Emperor Wu. This conversation led nowhere since the Emperor was concerned with worldly matters and did not have much time for spiritual concerns. This had discouraged Bodhidharma and he left for the Honan province and the Shaolin Temple in a kind of depression.
When he arrived, his worst fears were realized. The monks of the famed Shaolin Temple, which was known even then as a place of great learning, had grown physically, and mentally, deficient having no other concerns than meditating all day long. Bodhidharma was not happy with this and had to find some way to return the temple to the place of learning it once was. He left for a time and returned to teach all the monks of the monastery the art of Shih Pa Lo Han Sho. This art was _not_ meant to be used as a way of war, but instead used to inspire vigour, confidence, health, and concentration so that the monks could continue to pursue enlightenment.
Forty years later, the first of many attacks occurred. Bandits had decided the temple held vast sums of treasures. In the attack, the monks did not fight well, and it looked as though the temple would fall, and indeed, the elders of the temple were ready to give up. Instead, a young monk, known only as the begging monk to history, fought back with his hands and his feet killing some of the attackers and driving away many more. Thus began the training in the Shaolin temple of the first fighting style known as Chuan Fa.
Over the next few decades, the techniques were expanded so that the learning of Shih Pa Lo Han Sho, supplemented with Chun Fa raised the various techniques from the original eighteen to seventy two. This allowed the monks an advantage, and they were soon known as the silent protectors of the people of China. Later still, a meeting between Ch'ueh Taun Shang-Jen and a master of many martial ways known as Li, developed the fighting style of Wu Xing Quan, which had one hundred and seventy distinct techniques and were divided into five different animal forms. This was the true start of the higher arts, and it was the greatest gift that the monks could give to the peoples whom they were to teach.
According to some legends, it is said that Kenpo originated in the Okinawian Islands and the Ryukyu kingdoms as well as in Japan, however, this is not entirely true. Kenpo, or Law of the Fist, was a derivative of Chuan Fa. Many wandering monks had brought the arts across Asia, but nowhere was the art more welcomed than in these far off islands and kingdoms where fighting for survival was paramount. Thus, since monks thought the practice of bodily skills to any who wanted to learn, Kenpo was available to Noble and Commoner alike.
Kenpo also developed due to the many disappearances and returns of people from Okinawa and the Japanese Islands. Many times had they left for China, and many in the villages thought they had died, their families leaving a marker in the gravesite above the village. They had instead travelled and applied themselves to many differing ideals, and thus learned of the fighting skills of the Shaolin. In their time away, they learned many ways, many types of masteries of different arts, but at the base of which was Kenpo, or Chuan Fa. In most cases, there is a mystery behind the spread of these arts in Japan, especially since it was as a rather abrupt explosion of learning in the seventeenth century. Unfortunately, the reasons for this development have been lost to history, or rather, been kept from history as many schools of learning are only handed down within the family line.
Today's modern art of Kenpo, as known across the world and most especially in North America can be traced back to the Kosho ryu Kenpo which was developed in Kyushu, Japan by the families of Kumamoto and Nagasaki. These schools of arts, however, are not the only forms of the arts available. As of last count, there were over five hundred different schools with most of the training going back to as a basis centuries older than that of Kosho Ryu Kenpo.
To be honest, Kenpo is the first of the "Anything Goes" or "unrestricted" Schools of Martial Arts, the real question was, what was the secret that allowed the Kenpo practitioner such power? A saying from the Han Dynasty, "Nothing is impossible to the willing mind." was the first attempt to put into words the power of the form, the power of the mind. Thus in reality, Kenpo is a way of training the mind more than that of training the body. This has left the world with few true masters of the Kenpo style for to master this style one must be able to master oneself and then integrate both mind and body into one cohesive unit. It is an emphasis on the combination and utilization of body and mind in concert, and thus being able to achieve the higher levels of enlightenment, that makes the art so difficult.
As one master said, "Mastering others requires force; Mastering the self requires enlightenment." thus summing up all that has been learned by striving to study Kenpo. A way of the enlightened, on the path to the goal of enlightenment. A way for all of the forces of nature, and the forces of man to go past what has been known before. Thus as the basis for the martial arts, Kenpo is best described by Bruce Lee, who in comment on his art of Jeet Kune Do said, "To have no way as a way; To have no limitations as a limitation."
And before anyone asks, Kenpoist can use weapons, although true masters of the techniques disdain them.
HARAKEI
Harakei is the practice of knowing when an opponent is going to strike or do something. Sometimes described as a sixth or seventh sense, it is practised by many arts, but actively developed among the higher arts, especially in the Japanese practice of Bujutsu, or the study of all martial arts.
When training begins, the student is taken into as a room to practice by themselves. The student, when they are truly ready to learn the techniques, will first feel a presence of another person in the room, or observing them. When they are ready to go on, they will be able to determine from feel alone weather the person watching means to harm them, observe them, or help them. Somewhat difficult to know at first.
When the Sensei decides to teach the student the art, the student is blindfolded and sent into a room filled with objects, the idea is for the student to avoid the objects placed in areas around the room. Each time this is done, the room is rearranged so that memories of what the room was like before will not interfere with the training. When the student is able to pass through the room, the ears are then blocked and the trial begins again. Then the nose is stopped and this is repeated.
After this, training with as a live person begins, again following the steps outlined above. The main difference here is that the student learns how to use the currents of air, the small change in the feel of the floor of the dojo, and to access the part of the mind that has never truly disappeared in the human species, that of the instinct. Working through this, the student comes to be at a level where mind and body work in harmony to react before knowing. They training is long and arduous, usually lasting between three to five years for the hand to hand combat.
Finally, training is completed with weapons being used to face one another. The weapons used are for practice, and usually do not have any sharp edges or killing points on them. There is a point however, where sharpened and deadly weapons are used, and that is at the point where the student is about to graduate from that Dojo. While not usually practised publicly today, there are still incidences of this final training technique being carried out, especially in the Koga district.
It is theorized that the training is not actually creating a sixth sense, but is intensifying the other five senses that humans have available.
This last point is still debated by physicians and philosophers.
***
Authors note:
I want to thank everyone who wrote into me and sent me the comments. I certainly needed them, and I hope people keep making them. Strange as it may seem, my writting gets better the worse the comments are. It makes me strive to be better than I am so I do not disappoint anyone.
I know I cannot please everyone, and changes in writting style sometimes turn people away from a writer, but I _need_ to listen to the fans. Without the fans, without all of you who read these words, the books from the stores, or the comic books, what is the use of sharing a point of view.
So I _KNOW_ the value of free speach which is why I want flames to come in to me on my writing.
I would be a hippocrite if I, who have decided to write words down, denied the same rights to another individual.
Until Next time.